I am ashamed to say I work for Ford Motor Company after all the things that have gone wrong with my truck so far. To date: Famous "Clunk" when wheel is turned in reverse, though SVT told me tonight they knew of no such problem. Tonight my passenger seat decided it didnt want to lock back into position anymore, I had just got done changing the CD's and well it wont lock anymore. Service engine soon light, unbeknownst to anyone what is wrong. Steering wheel has been off center 15 degrees since I purchased it, pulls to the right. Squeaks like an old taxi cab. Both of the "step" covers overhang from the body and look like garbage. Passenger rear ground effect does not fit snug against the body, hangs off a 1/4 inch at the edge. After I wash the truck, the right rear tail light assembly could double as a goldfish bowl due to the amount of water it holds. Blower motor sounds like it has sand in it. I think thats all the problems.

Sorry for ranting and raving, but I am upset.
If any of you have the TSB numbers to any of the above mentioned problems, please post them. I have a service appointment this Friday, and I want to be armed with all the information I can get, so I can get all of this fixed.

Thanks everyone,

------------------
Jim
96 Black Cobra,
K&N,OffRoad H-Pipe
NitrousExpress 150 shot
Soon to have a stroked 351W
1999.5 Black Lightning
No Mods yet




[This message has been edited by NXCobra (edited 11-08-1999).]

 

Sorry to hear about all the problems your having.But cant say that I agree with you, the only problem that i`m having is the slight pull to the right....hope you figure it out...

------------------
99 SVT Lightning
BLK. #1476 5/20/99
2 Chamber Flowmasters
Superchips
A-pillar Phantom Boost Guage
Sportmaster Flip tonneau
Tow package
CD changer

Best run to date 13.52@102.4
N.O.S. (on order)

Empty Pockets Drag Race Team NJ-DE

 

I had the same problem with the seat.Dealer had to order part would take two weeks to get by the time part came I had traded truck in.I also experienced front clunking noise,molding around rear window buckled out and leaked,supercharger would sometimes not work,cd's skipping sometimes,ground effects plastic and would come loose,paint coming off front facia.Believe it or not I still really liked that truck and would consider another after the guinni pig year maybe in 2001, hopefully Chevy and Dodge build something like it to bring pricing down.Toyota is making a Tundra trd supercharged 4x4 access cab.

------------------
Barlitz,
99.5 Black Lightning,
Hinge mount tonneau,
cd player,
bedliner,
lojack,

 

Jim,

I can help with one, maybe two of your probs. I had the same thing happen to my passanger seat when I was installing new speakers. Slide the seat as far forward as you can, push the seat back as far to the rear as you can, and then hit the latch button. You should feel/hear a click and the seat will start behaving again (at least mine did).

I was starting to lose my cool when I figured this one out (installing the speakers was no picnic, already half way to PO'ed). Apparently the ratchet and locking mechanism can come out of battery when the seat is moved with the back in the forward position.

The front end clunk has been documented in the threads here a couple of times, and it has been documented by SVT as well, I talked to the engineer myself. Make sure the upper and lower control arm connectors are torqued to the proper spec, mine were loose. Also lube the steering stops with some axle grease or some other lubricant that is thick enough to stay in place for a while. This will have to be done at about the same interval as oil changes. So get used to it until SVT comes up with a better solution.

Unfortunatly, the rest I can't help with, except to say that I would be getting a new tail light housing, assy, and lense or I would fry me a dealer, a parts mgr., and possibly an SVT rep or two.

Hang tough dude, we'll pull you through this.

P.S. Never ask what else can go wrong, you're almost certain to find out. The same as asking "why me?", God's answer is always "why not?". Always remember O'Toole's Corrolary to Murphy's Law: Murphy was a freakin' optimist!

------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning Build # 1273, DOB 5-14-99
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 80 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood - Delivered and at the body shop; Cal-Tracs traction bars



[This message has been edited by Wyldman (edited 11-08-1999).]

 

I have a hard time trying to tell my self that the front end clunck is fixed.Let it go.Now the molding is falling off! $30K,5500 miles and I traded in my 93 cobra.I dont think for the $ you should have to "just live with it"Im die hard Henry,But

 

Peter,

The "live with it" was SVT's statement when I offered suggestions on how to fix it once and for all. They apparently believe that thier's are the only engineers in the world that can figure this kind of stuff out. But you can believe that, since I had the procedure done on the front end, I havn't heard nary a sound out of it. Close to 5k miles.

------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning Build # 1273, DOB 5-14-99
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 80 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood - Delivered and at the body shop; Cal-Tracs traction bars

 

NXCobra,

I had the same thing with the seat. Had it go out two hours after I arrived in Pa (talk about a bad sign). About 8 months later the seat went out again and had to have the same part redone. Everything seems fine the second time, hang in there and give them a chance to fix it.

------------------
The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau and Ford Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page
www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index.html

 

Wyldman

I'd really like to see a photo of your lightning after the ram air hood installation,I had the same plans along with cobra striping down the center of the truck I was going to have the stripe match the rim color, my truck was black.I hope I can wait til 2001 but knowing me I'll have my face pressed against the showroom window next spring druelling profusively.

------------------
Barlitz,
99.5 Black Lightning,
Hinge mount tonneau,
cd player,
bedliner,
lojack,

 

I have had some of the same problems, my worse one is the brakes squealing. My dealers service manager told me "it was a characteristic of my $30,000. vehicle." I had a NASCAR truck (98) and it never had such a characteristic. But what should I know I just make the payments. The ground effect on the rh side is coming loose,it pulls to the right,and pops when you make a hard turn. I would like to know the procedure for fixing that.My seat seems to be just fine at the moment,who's to say that may become a problem later on. I am also looking into a trade on the ones coming out next year. I would love to see a yellow Lightning, I might would have to have one. I have a Black Lightning,but am considering a color change the next go round.

 

Hey Wyldman, thanks for the tip! It did work and my seat functions normally. Im just glad I didnt break something else in my rage trying to get it to lock. Thanks again.

------------------
Jim
96 Black Cobra,
K&N,OffRoad H-Pipe
NitrousExpress 150 shot
Soon to have a stroked 351W
1999.5 Black Lightning
No Mods yet

 

Barlitz,

I will most happily post some pics, I am due at the body shop TOMORROW! to have it installed. If everything fits and there are no glitches, I should have pics on th board tomorrow night, Mwahahahahaa!

NXCobra,

You are most certainly welcome. I almost did the same thing in a fit of semi-rage, and really felt the fool when I figured it out. Oh well, 40 years old and still learning to tame my temper. HEHE

I found the 2nd post I made on the front end clunk, it covers all of the details I discussed w/SVT and what it took to fix it. Look here: http://216.167.31.120/f150board/Foru...ML/000165.html

------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning Build # 1273, DOB 5-14-99
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 80 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood - Delivered and at the body shop; Cal-Tracs traction bars



[This message has been edited by Wyldman (edited 11-11-1999).]

 

Hey NXCobra, what did you find out about the "servics engine soon" light? Wondering if you could shed some light on what the dealer found or did.